A Tutorial on the harmonic workings of the I V vi IV chord progression. This major key chord progression is abundant in 20th and 21st centuries pop and rock …
Video Rating: 5 / 5
The Songwriter Station is a series of tutorials on the art of songwriting. The series is written and presented by the UK based published contemporary compose…
Video Rating: 5 / 5
29 Comments
what a cute accent 🙂 deutscher oder?
Diese Video freue mich! Danke! Wenn ihr braucht eine musikerin noch, ich
bin frei!
u deserve more views hun 🙂 I am preparing my self to study in Stuttgart. I
am so bad in Harmony in general that I am scared that In german everything
will be even more difficult.It’s enough that I had to learn the complicated
language ;p….Deutsch ist so schwer zu lernen
@suney85 Hey Suney, yup…deutsch! What about you?
Hi Jonny,
I found your videos really helpful 🙂 Thanks a lot.
Just one suggestion however. Theres a ringing sound on your videos that
makes it a bit of pain in the ears to listen to. Would be such a pleasure
to view if you could get rid of that.
Johnny I tried you’re impact writing technique and I have to say I think
the song I wrote is pretty catchy. I haven’t stepped out of the key of C
yet and the top line melody were notes I used within the chords but still
it’s a good song. I’m just hoping some other asshole out there hasn’t
written the same melody. Anyway johnny thanks allot for the advice because
until I got it I had no idea how to write a song. So cheers again and all
the best in the future.. 
That was really cool…I’m a music theory student, I write songs, and I
love these kind of tutorials…thanks you so much for sharing your gift of
music and teaching it! Your a gem! Good things happen to you….!
Obviously….thanks again.
please explain lift chord and hanging chord and how to find them?
Great video, Jonny! I took some notes in relation to the nashville number
system. Not sure if my notation is correct for the drama chord though. Cool
technique!!
Example in C Major
Lead Chord – I
Hanging Chord – V
Lift Chord – IV
Relative Minor – vi
Optional Minor – iii
Drama Chord – iv# <--- F# Minor in CMajor Where to use these chords Verse Rules: Start with Lead Chord ( I ) or Relative Minor ( vi ) End with hanging chord ( V ) Chorus Rules: Start with Lead Chord ( I ) or Lift Chord ( IV ) End with either Lead Chord ( I ) or Hanging Chord ( V ) Bridge Rules: Start with any minor chord: Relative Minor ( vi ), Optional Minor ( iii ), or Drama Chord ( iv# ) Can end on any chord 
So good man, Thanks! Hey if you wouldn’t mind Im interested in knowing
where the F# minor fits diatonically (does it fit)? or is it just a great
sounding passing chord?
hey jonny its kane, james told me to look you up on youtube so i did 😉
Brilliant, thanks so much for your help! Keep up the great work man! Jimmy.
would be interesting to hear your approach on minor writing
Hey Rick, thanks so much for your positive comments:) I’m glad you’ve found
the tutorials useful. I will upload more when I get the chance. I’m busy
doing the actual writing at the moment but as soon as I get the chance I’ll
get more vids up! Jonny
Hey Carl, thanks dude:) Minor key impact writing is actually much easier to
explain to be honest…its all either played in 2/4 or 4/4 with the
relative minor / lift / lead / hanging…so in the key of Am it would go
Am/F/C/G or in the key of Em for example it would go Em/C/G/D,etc. The
“beat making” video touches on it. Hope this helps. Is there anything you’d
particularly like to see in a future video? Jonny
hi you mentioned hip hop impact writing…yes pleeeeaaasee;-)
Hey:) Checkout Part 4 – “Beat Making”. Hope it helps! Let me know if I can
do more to help you if you want to know anything specific. Jonny
Hey Carl, no its fine dude don’t worry:) I think I’ll put one out on this
subject in due course. For the meantime check out part 4 “beat making” this
might help you understand how minor key impact writing works in both 2/4
and 4/4. Have a great weekend! Jonny
🙂
Jonny i’m liking the Coldplay I’ll give this a try Thanks
wow johny you sung fix you amasingly
Hey Jimmy, thanks for your comment. I’m glad you found it useful:) Minor
key impact works like this:- Relative minor – lift chord, lead, hanging
chord. e.g./ am/f/c/g in key of c major. You can play those chords either
in 4/4 or 2/4 to creative different formulas. Its a winner:-) My “beat
making” video on this channel touches on it. Enjoy and thanks again Jimmy!
Jonny
yeah it bothered me a lot that the drama chord is Fm not F#m. Everything
else tho sounds good, use the I, IV, vi, using the perfect or imperfect
cadence, or if in minor, it would be i, iv, V, dropping in a iii, but you
could use the ordinary nomenclature of dominants dominants etc. I’m
clueless where the “Dramatic chord” fits because I can’t tell if it’s iv#
or what.
Hey thebeatschool, Sorry to hear that. This is usually a 3 hour lecture so
fitting into 10 minutes is quite a chore as I’m sure you’ll agree lol! But
nevertheless sorry this one wasn’t much help to you but maybe the next one
will be. take it easy, Jonny
Hi Carl, thanks for your kind words! I’m working on all sorts of
songwriting and production projects which vary from teen pop/tv
songwriting, Jpop, Urban music, singer-songwriter. I’m very keen to share
some more findings so I’ll do another video as soon as I can:) Thanks again
dude:) Jonny
@kidpink oh and lookin forward to minor impact writing 🙂 !!
Hey all, Thanks for your comments. Dion – I’m no so sure I agree but thanks
lol! Generatemusic – you’re right, its an Fmin!! What an idiot I am – so
sorry man! I get too excited and carried away sometimes! Yeah and sorry
about the level on this. I’ll try and get this improved on the next video.
Thanks for your support:-) Jonny
Ok, thanks, I’ll check out part4. Thanks for the reply Jonny. Carl.
Hey Jonny, I think your “drama” chord is an F minor. Not F#. You had me
thinking a b5 minor chord. Also, your level is a little low.